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Canada’s Health Care System: Facing an Aging Nation

Far too many Canadians believe that “Canada has the best health care system in the world.” The Commonwealth Institute in Washington D.C., a health care think-tank, conducted a survey in 2014 ranking the health care systems of 11 advanced countries.

The top health care system was that of the UK, while Canada ranked 10th; the United States ranked 11th. The UK and all the other countries that ranked above Canada and the USA – Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, France; have integrated private and public health care systems.

Our reluctance to review and reform our system of “one payer” (government) is not sustainable. The tail end of the Baby Boom generation turns 50 in 2015. The number of employed workers is declining, while the number of retirees (and users) is increasing.

Some weaknesses to address in our current system include:

Lack of timely access to diagnosis: emergency room backlogs, limits on the number of ailments to be discussed by doctors in any one patient appointment, etc.

Slow delivery of appropriate care: long wait times for those requiring joint replacement etc.

Inadequate planning for the coming bulge of seniors needing long term care beds; continued focus on acute care